Spud wrench



y 6, 1961 E. H. COLLETT 2,984,135

SPUD WRENCH Filed Aug. 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /7 INVENTOR E. H. COLLETT United States Patent Ce 2,984,135 I 1 SPUD WRENCH Endsley Henry Collett, 5031 Morewood Place,

. Pittsburgh,'1a.

"FiledAng. 23, 1960', Ser. No. 51,363

I z cla ims. (Cl. 81-72) This invention. relates to improvements in a device used by plumbers and pipe fitters to engage the interior wall of. a spud, .a pipe or similar cylindrical object. Such a device is .commonly called a spud wrench and the presgentinven tion constitutes an improvement over the spud wrench disclosed in US. Patent 2,895,361 granted to me July 21, 1959. r

A spud is a section of tubing used in the drain outlet It is among the primary objects of the present inven tion to provide such-a tool which is simple in construction and .therefore inexpensive to manufacture, efficient in use, and capable of a wide range of adjustments to fit in openings of a wide range of dimensions.

The attainment of the foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be made apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section through the improved spud wrench.

Fig. 2 shows an end view of the wrench.

Fig. 3 shows a side view thereof.

Fig. 4 shows in perspective a view of a tubular member constituting the main body portion of the wrench.

Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal section through the tubular body member, all other parts being removed.

Fig. 6 shows in side elevation, one of the bar members which carry the spud gripping portions of the wrench.

P Fig. 7 shows a top plan view of the bar member of Fig, 8 shows a right-hand end view of the bar of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing, a tubular body member indicated generally at 1 is provided with an upper hexagonal portion 2, a collar 3 separating the hexagonal portion from a cylindrical portion 4, and a lower cylindrical portion 5 of substantially less diameter than the cylindrical portion 4 and separated therefrom by a shoulder 6. Openings 7 are provided in the cylindrical portions 4 and 5, and each of these, being located at the junction between the two cylindrical portions, also includes a portion of the shoulder 6. As shown there are three of the openings 7 equally spaced around the circumference of the tubular member 1. It will be understood that the number and spacing of the openings may vary. Four slots 8 extend inwardly from the open end of the cylindrical portion 5. The opposite end of the tubular body member 1 is closed by an end cap 9 which seats on an interior shoulder of the tubular member and is secured in this position by suitable means here shown as screws. The cap 9 has a cylindrical portion 10 inexpander head 14.

Patented May 16, 1961 cylindrical portion is of substantially less diameter than the internal diameter of the body member 1 leaving an annular space there between. A threaded bore 12 extends centrally through the end cap 9, and the stem 13 of an expander 14 passes through the bore, projecting externally of body member 1 to permit manual adjustment thereof in a manner hereinafter described.

A plurality of flat bar members 15, one for each of the openings 7 are each provided with an enlarged end portion 16 which projects laterally of the bar through one of the openings 7. The opposite end of the bar is positioned in the annular space between the cylindrical portion 10 of the cap 9 and the interior surface of the tubular body member 1, A bow spring 19 secured to the bar 15 intermediate its length by suitable means such as a rivet 20 is positioned ot bear against the internal wall of the body member 1 and thus force the enlarged stem 13 is provided with a hexagonal portion 21 adapted to be engaged by a common wrench and a raised portion 23 adapted to be engaged between the thumb and forefinger of the user to permit longitudinal adjustment of the Movement of the head to the left of the position shown in Fig. 1 forces the toothed portion 17 and 18 outwardly relative to the body 1.

In use, the right end of the body 1 is inserted in the spud or other cylindrical body which must be engaged internally. Spuds are commonly provided with cross bars and where these are present the slots 8 will permit the insertion of the cylindrical portion 5 thereover. Where the spud is of relatively small diameter only the cylindrical portion 5 and the lower stepped portion 17 are received within the spud. Where the spud is of larger diameter, the cylinder 4 and the higher stepped portion 18 are also received within the spud. In either case, movement of the conical head 14 to the left of the position shown in Fig. 1, by turning the nut 21 forces one of the stepped portions 17 or 18 outwardly of the tubular body so that the teeth on the one portion engage the interior wall of the spud; The mechanical advantage obtained through the screw effect between the internally threaded bore of the end cap and the stem 13 together with the wedging eifect between the conical portion 14 and the right-hand end of the bar 15 will ordinarily be sufficient to permit a firm holding engagement to be obtained by merely turning the nut 21 by hand. However, when difficulty is encountered in the removal of a spud, the nut may be tightened by a common wrench. After the wrench has been firmly engaged with the interior wall of the spud in the manner described, the same may be turned by application of a common wrench to the hexagonal portion 2.

From the foregoing descriptiomit will be seen that the construction disclosed provides for the firm gripping of the interior walls of the spuds or similar hollow cylindrical members and is useful in such members having a wider range of diameters than heretofore possible. Furthermore, since the device consists of only a few simple parts, and since the bars 15 require no fastening means to retain them in position, the device is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.

Although there has been herein described but a single preferred embodiment of the invention other embodiment within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent from a consideration of the form shown and the teachings hereof.

I claim:

1. A spud wrench comprising a tubular body member having an upper externally hexagonal portion, a collar surrounding said tubular portion intermediate the length thereof and terminating said hexagonal portion, a first cylindrical portion below said collar terminating in an inwardly extending shoulder, and a second cylindrical portion below said shoulder of lesser diameter than said first cylindrical portion, said tubular body member also having a plurality of openings through the wall thereof, each of said openings being located at the junction between the said first cylindrical portion and said second cylindrical portion and providing cut-out areas in both of said cylindrical portions, a plurality of fiat bars in said tubular body member, one for each of said openings, each of said bars having a laterally enlarged end divided into stepped portions projecting through one of said openings, the higher of said stepped portions lying in the area of said one opening intersecting said first cylindrical portion, and the lower of said stepped portion lying in the area thereof intersecting said second cylindrical portion, a cap closing the upper end of said tubular body member and defining an annular space with said body member, the ends of said flat bars remote from said enlarged ends being retained in said annular space, said cap having a central internally threaded bore extending there through, a threaded stem extending through said bore, a conical expander head mounted on the internal end of said stem engaging the enlarged ends of said bars and means on the end of said stem for manually turning the same.

2. A spud wrench comprising a tubular body member having an upper externally hexagonal portion, a collar surrounding said tubular portion intermediate the length thereof and terminating said hexagonal portion, a first cylindrical portion below said collar terminating in an inwardly extending shoulder, and a second cylindrical portion below said shoulder of lesser diameter than said first cylindrical portion, 4 slots extending inwardly from the open end of said second cylindrical portion, said tubular body member also having a plurality of openings through the wall thereof, each of said openings being located at the junction between the said first cylindrical portion and said second cylindrical portion and providing cut-out areas in both of said cylindrical portions, a plurality of flat bars in said tubular body member, one for each of said openings, a bow spring secured to each bar intermediate its length, each of said bars having a laterally enlarged end divided into stepped portions projecting through one of said openings, the higher of said stepped portions lying in the area of said one opening intersecting said first cylindrical portion, and the lower of said stepped portions lying in the area thereof intersecting said second cylindrical portion, a cap closing the upper end of said tubular body member and defining an annular space with said body member, the ends of said flat bars remote from said enlarged ends being retained in said annular space, said cap having a central internally threaded bore extending there through, a threaded stem extending through said bore, a conical expander head mounted on the internal end of said stem engaging the enlarged ends of said bars and means on the end of said stem for manually turning the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 869,861 Alspaugh Oct. 29, 1907 2,895,361 Collett July 21, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 78,007 Denmark Aug 23, 1954 

